The Ultimate Guide To Protect Your Privacy On Mobile Devices

The advent of smartphones has undoubtedly made our lives easier and more convenient. From making payments and navigating new places to texting and tweeting, we use mobile phones for almost everything.

As per a report, 47% of US smartphone users say they can’t live without their devices. Another report by Statista suggests that more than 285 million people in the US are expected to have a smartphone by 2023. These statistics prove that smartphones have become an inevitable part of our daily lives.

But, what we forget is that using smartphones as a centralized source for all of our information comes with enormous risks. For instance, if your phone gets stolen, your photos and important data can be used for stealing money or blackmailing you.

In fact, as per a survey conducted by IDG Research, one in 10 smartphone owners are victims of phone theft, and 68 percent of those victims are unable to ever recover their device. As a result, they are likely to pay around $500 to $1000 to retrieve personal data, including photos, videos, music, and other crucial data.

This is extremely bad, not only for individuals but for countless businesses as well. And this is why so many individuals and businesses have started to take mobile security seriously. Let’s take a look at a few steps to protect your mobile phone privacy and secure personal data on your mobile devices.

How to protect mobile devices?

Moving further, we will take you through the steps on how to protect your mobile device and how to protect your mobile device to ensure phone privacy and security.

• Choose apps wisely: That new app may look download worthy, but with so many unknown third-party providers out there, it might be difficult to know how private and secure it may be. Therefore, it’s best to stick to trusted app stores like Play Store, App Store, or iTunes. The app store on your smartphone provides reasonable protection against malware. Also, it’s wise to check reviews and ratings before downloading any app and entering your personal information.

Also, check the reviews of Android development companies and iOS app development company that created the apps to make sure they are legitimate. Be particularly careful about financial apps that require you to enter account information or credit card details.

Check ratings, reviews, and features to make sure you are downloading the best financial apps.

• Use VPN: Virtual Private Network or VPN is becoming increasingly important nowadays as it keeps all the data you send and receive on your phone encrypted, private, and secure. Without it, someone can steal sensitive information without your knowledge. Another major problem that VPN solves is the threat of public Wi-Fi. Since all your data is encrypted, you will be able to use public Wi-Fi without worry. There are a number of best VPN apps available on app stores. Using any one of them will ensure complete anonymity and privacy on cell phones.
• Use a passcode: According to a Consumer Reports Survey, 64% of people don’t use passcodes. And we think this might be a really terrible idea. You are handing over all of your personal information to anyone who gets hold of your phone. Thus, it’s important to add passcodes to protect your phone privacy.

While setting up a passcode, don’t use your birthday or social security number for your passcode. Use strong and varied passwords to guard your privacy on cell phones. Plus, never share your password with anyone, even if they ask nicely.

• Check your app’s permissions: If you’re still wondering how to secure mobile devices, here’s another step that you can take. Review the permissions of installed apps on your device to ensure mobile app security. Ensure your apps only have access to the information they need and remove unnecessary permissions from each app. If possible, remove apps with excessive permissions. Pay special attention to apps that have access to your contact list, camera, storage, location, and microphone.

1. In the case of Android apps, you can remove unnecessary permissions by selecting Settings and then clicking on Permissions. If you remove permissions from a poorly designed app, it might stop working. Well-designed apps by top app development companies will notify you when you attempt to perform the function that requires permissions.

2. For the iOS app, you can go to Settings and then click on Privacy.

• Keep software up to date: Keeping your software up to date will protect your mobile device from malware and protect your mobile phone privacy. However, we would advise you to wait for a few days before installing the latest version to see if there are any problems with rollouts.
• Set up Find My Phone and Remote Wiping: If you haven’t set up these features yet, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful security measures for your phone. For instance, if you lose your iPhone, the Find My Phone feature can help you take to its exact location using the GPS. You can also download phone tracker apps to find your lost devices in minutes.

If you can’t get hold of your phone right away, you can erase sensitive data using the Remote Wipe feature.

• Backup your phone regularly: Should your phone be lost or stolen, be sure to have a backup ready either on the cloud or a local device. Make sure to backup at least once a day for the best results, or you can use automatic syncing with a cloud program.
• Note down your IMEI: Every phone comes with a fifteen digits serial number called an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity). This number can be found behind your phone’s battery or in the settings. In case your mobile is stolen or lost, this number can speed up the process of finding your phone.
• Don’t click on suspicious links: Never ever click on suspicious links. Look carefully at the link before clicking on it, especially if you’re asked to enter personal details. So, do your research before giving out the details to protect your mobile phone privacy.

Additional steps to secure your privacy on cell phones

We hope this article has given you all the answers on how to protect mobile devices. Here are some additional measures to protect your mobile phone's privacy and security.

• Limit activities on public Wi-Fi networks: Wi-Fi networks at public places such as airports or coffee shops provide an opportunity for attackers to intercept sensitive information. When using a public network, don’t use apps that ask for personal information. Also, turn off your Bluetooth when not in use to protect your privacy on cell phones.
• Be cautious when charging: Avoid connecting your phone to any computer or charging station that you do not control. Connecting a mobile device to a computer using a USB cable can allow software running on that computer to interact with the phone in ways you may not anticipate. For example, a malicious computer could gain access to your sensitive data or install new software. So, take extra precautions when charging your phone.

EndNote

There are ample security risks for mobile users today, and these risks will continue to grow with the popularity of mobile phones. Through this blog, we have answered many questions of yours like — how to protect your phone and how to protect my privacy on my phone. So, make sure to follow these small but useful steps and protect your phone privacy and yourself. Good luck, stay safe!